Vedic astrology explained

Vedic astrology, a branch of knowledge of our ancient Vedas, has three main branches or Skandhas, namely, Sidhantha dealing with Astronomy and Mathematics, Samhita dealing with Omens and Hora dealing with Horoscopy, Horary and Muhurtha. Astrology is also called Kalavidhana Sastra or a science that imparts advice about ‘Time’ and its divisions. It helps us to determine the nature of the past, present and future and to find out how the flow of time affects humans, animals and plants. The aim of this branch of knowledge is also to foresee the pleasures and pains of the life on this earth.

Time is the cause for everything that is good and bad - pleasure or pain - in life. Time is the cause of all movements. Even thought is time bound. Thoughts cannot break away form the boundaries caused by time, as they are based on our past and present experiences. To predict the happenings of the future incidents of life, we should study the Time. But we cannot see, touch or hear the Time. However, we can know and comprehend it with our mind and analyze it. This is possible only because we can observe movements. Even thought is a movement. It is only by watching the movements that the concept of the ‘Time’ originates in our mind. The movements we observe from the earth, like the flying of birds, fall of withered leaves from trees, the flowering of plants, the sunrise and sunset, the waxing and waning of the Moon and the subtle cosmic schedules like the movements of planets, make us experience the existence of Time. Time is the cause of all movements. It is the cause for the movements of Earth, Moon and planets. It is the cause for life and death of plants, animals and humans. It is the cause for all our worldly happenings like births, marriages, accidents, diseases, deaths, wealth or poverty or other events, which one could conceive of.

To know about, in advance, the events of the life of humans or to predict the future of anything, we should study Time. We cannot study it directly. But there is a way out, as the Time is the cause for all movements. So, if we study the movements of cosmic bodies like Earth, Moon, Planets, etc., we can know, understand and comprehend the rhythm of Time, its ebbs and flows. If we are able to know the rhythm of Time or the flow of time felt by the human minds, we can predict the life incidents of humans. We can say what he is and what he would become. At the same time, let us not forget that the prediction is probabilistic. Astrology originates from this basic rationale. It is not irrational or irrelevant. In fact, throwing mud on the truthfulness and sincerity of Rishis who created this branch of study is irrational.

By watching the clock we can determine time. But the clock does not control time. When the birds cry we know that it is sunrise. Still, it is not the birds, which cause the sunrise. Similarly the study of planetary movements helps us to predict the past, present and future events of life. In fact, it is not the planets that control the destiny of humans, but time. The sunlight that is reflected by the planets and the attractive forces of planets may have only a little impact on human destiny, but the impact of time is supreme. Here I am emphasizing the importance of time in shaping human destiny compared to the impact of light or attractive forces of planets. It is a truth both the wise astrologer and the scientist know. Planets are just instruments that help us in understanding the rhythm of time, the instrument that helps us in predicting the human destiny. Planets are utilized in astrology in this way. Every believer of Vedic astrology should understand this truth.

When one understands this basic rationale of astrology, the unnecessary arguments and debates will stop. We must try to see astrology in its true theoretical foundation. Why should we argue whether astrology is an art or science? Astrology is nothing but Astrology. If somebody asks whether bat is bird or not, what would be the answer? It will only create an unending array of positive and negative arguments. If somebody asks whether history is science or not, even without my intervention, one will know that the result would be the same. Bat is bat, history is history and astrology is nothing but astrology, neither science nor an art.

The fault lies in our view. Why should we try to cast something into a particular mould, or to limit subjects into some colored boxes? Man wants to classify everything. The truth would be always beyond all the classifications. It stays outside all the classification attempts. The fault lies fundamentally with the fragmented human brain that tries to classify everything, which ultimately leads to erroneous knowledge. This fundamental error remains unsolved and we are trying to limit the subjects in to predefined boxes. It is the second mistake. Will these repeated errors lead us to correct knowledge and view?

When I have written this much, I felt that the fundamental classification error of fragmented human brain should be clarified further. Let me explain. We divide the time in many ways, such as hour, minute, second, or Nadi, Vinadi in Indian system, or as Christian, Vikrama or Kaliyuga eras. Many other systems could be used to divide time. Year, month, day divisions or the solar, sidereal, lunar, will all be the same. There are thousands of methods! All these classifications originated in human mind. Truly, time is beyond all these classifications. Are the hour-minute divisions or the nadi-vinadi divisions correct? Time is continuous. All these classifications are created by the fragmented human brain to comprehend time. Our view is fragmented. It is like a fragmented mirror that shows the picture of the complete and continuous world in a fragmented way. Even though these classifications are necessary for humans to study and comprehend time, the continuous entity “Time” does not need all these classification. Despite the presence or absence of all these classifications, the Time will prevail. Existing always and beyond. Yes, all the classifications are wrong. But human brain cannot but have them. That is why it is said that every branch of study is nothing but “attempts to comprehend the incomprehensible and complete world with fragmented classifications.”

In a fragmented mirror, the reflected world would also be fragmented. It is the fundamental limitation of human brain or mind. That is why it is said, “The eternal truth is realized only in a mindless state.” The Vedic verse “etho vacha nivarthanthe aprapya manasa saha” (where the mind turns back with the unreachable words) - that is Truth,” points to this direction. Due to all these, we cannot but accept the fundamental error of trying to comprehend the non-fragmented existence (world), with the fragmented mind. Can we not at least avoid the second error, i.e. trying to limit astrology into some predefined boxes such as science or art? Can we not avoid such arguments as whether astrology is art or science? Let us try to comprehend astrology in its true theoretical foundation. We must view science as science and art as art and must not mix up both. As the humanity is a quality of man that is not limited by class, creed, color, religion or caste, astrology is a subject that cannot be limited within the classifications such as science or art.

When I see the efforts of people to classify astrology into predefined moulds such as science or art, I am just feeling compassionate, because these classifications are unscientific and non-systematic. A relevant doubt is how to classify all the subjects under human study. The thought process of human mind can be broadly classified into two - 1) analytical 2) holistic. The astrologer refers to this duality using the words ooha-apoha, mathematicians use the words differentiation-integration and others use the technical term analytical approach - holistic approach. Whatever be the terms used, they point to the fundamental difference in the thinking approach. These are two different thinking methods. Most of the braches of knowledge we have today is the product of one of these approaches.

Science is the product of analytical approach. We used to say that science tries to study everything by dividing it into smaller and smaller parts. Science has its own method, based on analytical approach, termed Scientific method. Data collection, concept, formation, analysis, verification are the parts of it. A theory is the final output. Some of these theories may later proclaimed as true mirrors of knowledge or laws. Some of them on new data-input, either get refined or discarded. Thus, science is a continuous search for truth. Starting from small laws that control our daily life and not stopping in-between, it searches for a single law that comprehends everything to describe the whole. Some theories that are refined further and further, become stronger rationally and experimentally. These are proclaimed as laws that become the foundation of science to help or promote further study. Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology etc., are all branches of science. Mathematics, though does not follow the scientific method, has a systematic foundation and is a product of analytical approach. “Fact to generalization” is the prime motto of analytical approach. Nevertheless, holistic study method is an entirely different and worthy one.

The holistic approach has given raise to many branches of knowledge. Let us start from the most common example - i.e. Psychology. Psychology says that all the mental diseases, which may have even physical symptoms, are caused by unhealthiness of mind. In other words, Psychology finds its foundation in the concept called Mind. If we knew all about the processes in brain, nervous system, and the chemical reactions in brain and body, this concept of mind will not be necessary. We feel the Mind because of the combined and coordinated function of all these. Even though we cannot find the ‘Mind’ by subdividing the body in to its minutest parts i.e. by physical analysis, nobody will say that psychology is a useless subject. By using the classifications such as conscious-subconscious-unconscious, id-ego-superego (or the Indian classical division Chitta–buddhi-ahankara) we believe that psychology leads us towards truth. All the branches of knowledge that originate from the holistic method use one or more non-provable concepts as their foundation, which are accepted based on their usefulness. Psychology is no exception to that. The ancient Indians used the word ‘Sastra’ (ancient advice) to indicate such branches of study. Like Psychology that speaks about Mind, Ayurveda that speaks about Tridoshas or Vaatha-Pitha-Kapha, Homeopathy and Naturopathy that speak about Vital force, Astrology speaks about Planets and Signs. All are the products of holistic approach. In this sense subjects such as Psychology, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Astrology etc., do not come under the broad classification called Science. Still we know that nobody will dare to say that Psychology, Ayurveda etc., are useless. In the view of our ancients, Sastras lead us to truth, help us to comprehend the truth more clearly and help us to know the truth that are useful for our existence. Astrology that depends on holistic approach is no exception to this. In this study-method called holistic approach, some basic concepts are formulated, to cover all our ignorance about the details and to help the further study. This hypothetical foundation becomes a springboard for further study. Here also, psychology can be taken as a suitable example. When we know 100% about the processes and behavior of brain and body, we understand which chemical reactions lead to each thought and emotion. Then we could clearly state how and where the memory is encoded, with its minutest details. When our knowledge grows that much and we attain the ability to control all these, using chemical and physical mechanisms (machine driven or otherwise), we can discard the concept of mind and psychology. Until then psychology will exist, despite whatever be the reaction of the scientists to it. Similarly, when we understand how the rhythm of time influences the living organisms and their life incidents (100% i.e. to its minutest details) astrology can be discarded. Until then, whatever be the opposing arguments, this branch of knowledge known as astrology is bound to prevail.

Even those who accept that Psychology, Ayurveda, Homeopathy etc., as holistic methods, tend to reject astrology. Why? They ask - “How can you say that astrology is based on a fundamental concept like Mind, Tridosha or Vital force, used by other branches of holistic approach? Can you consider the Sun, the Moon and the Planets as concepts? Signs such as Aries, Taurus are the divisions of sky. How can they be concepts? All those who sincerely study the ancient Vedic astrology know the answers to such questions.

Assume that we collect the common characteristics or life incidents of children born, when the Sun is in some particular sign. Instead of considering these characteristics as that of time, they are projected to the Sun. The Sun is considered the significator of all such characteristics. Later, when the Sun is in the same sign, when a child is born, we predict that, that the child will have those predefined or pre-collected characteristics. The technique is of projecting the characteristics to those that are not of the Sun to the Sun and later taking them back from the Sun. Here the Sun becomes not the Sun that we see with our naked eyes. The Sun becomes a concept. This Sun is the God Siva, father, gold, soul, courage, success, light, king, government, service, light, forest, peak, hill... and so on. Sun is man, middle-aged, bald, and the significator of diseases due to heat. All these ideas are formed thus. Not only the Sun, but also the Moon and the Planets become concepts in this way. Whatever is called significators in astrology, they are all concepts (Hypothetical constructions to mould the truth). Yes, in astrology, the Planets, Houses and Signs are called significators. Therefore, the Signs, Houses and Planets are the basic concepts used in the holistic study-method called astrology. Apart from this, some other basic concepts that are used by Vedic culture such as Panchabhootas (Earth-Water-Fire-Air-Sky), Trigunas (Satwa – Rajas – Thamas) etc., are also well utilized in astrology.

Of the two approaches such as analytical and holistic, Astrology and Ayurveda are closer to holistic approach. As these two methods, analytical and holistic, are fundamental to the thought process itself, why should they compete with each other? Why should the branches of study that are part of holistic approach try fruitlessly to become part of any science, a product of analytical approach? Even physics should resort to the use of concepts such as stress, strain, force, time etc. Ayurveda cannot stand away from the fact that the use of its methods should cure a patient. The world we see is composed of the facts and concepts, viz., matter and mind. Because of all these, the analytical approach that takes facts as the starting point and the holistic approach that takes concepts at the starting point should ultimately meet and help each other to the ultimate enrichment of human knowledge. They are like Yin and Yang, the opposing counter parts of the same thing. As both of them are the foundations of the thought-process itself, one defeating the other is impossible.

Even this classification such as analytical or holistic is not complete. We cannot bring all the subjects under the sun into this classification. As I mentioned earlier, all the classifications are nothing but the creations of human mind. The truth would remain outside all these classifications. In our case also, it will be true. (Just think of bringing subjects such as art and history into this classification.) A Vedic astrologer should be ready to approach astrology with such realizations, because astrology is a part of a holistic approach, to study the rhythm of time and make probabilistic predications.